Silent spring nears at park

Joyous noise at Thacher sites to be stilled when state closes lots Monday

BRIAN NEARING Staff write, Times Union

By BRIAN NEARING Staff writer

Published 1:00 am, Thursday, May 13, 2010

Padlocked lots will greet visitors at Thacher state park in New Scotland starting Monday. Visitors will be asked to leave closed areas, state officials say. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Padlocked lots will greet visitors at Thacher state park in New...

Gate at main parking lot near the park office in Thacher state park in New Scotland. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Gate at main parking lot near the park office in Thacher state park...

Weddings, picnics and all types of family fun at Thatcher park are done for the season beginning Monday as state officials plan to padlock most of the parking areas due to budget problems. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Weddings, picnics and all types of family fun at Thatcher park are...

Paint Mine picnic area parking lot is due to close at Thacher state park beginning Monday. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Paint Mine picnic area parking lot is due to close at Thacher...

The overlook at Thacher park in New Scotland. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)

The overlook at Thacher park in New Scotland. (Lori Van Buren/Times...

NEW SCOTLAND -- Most gates at John Boyd Thacher State Park are set to be padlocked shut Monday, so this weekend could be the last chance of the season to enjoy much of the natural wonderland experienced by generations of visitors.

The famous overlook at the Helderberg Escarpment will be the lone parking area to remain open, park officials said Wednesday.

Parks spokesman Dan Keefe said people will be "discouraged" from venturing beyond the Thacher overlook area out of concern for public safety. "People who are elsewhere will be asked to leave," said, but added "we are not planning on arresting anyone."

Restrooms at the park have remained locked this year, grass left uncut and trails not maintained. Several parking areas leading to hiking trails and pavilions have been kept open. Route 157, a road that runs through the center of the park, will remain open.

The padlocking of Thacher is the latest step in a budget battle that started in February, when Gov. David Paterson unveiled $11.3 million in proposed budget cuts that could close up to 91 of the state's 178 parks, and 14 of 35 historic sites. Services would be reduced at another 23 parks and one historic site.

Lawmakers and the governor have not been able to come up with a budget compromise.

The parking lots at the overlook, as well as the Hop Field and Paint Mine have been open this spring, said John Kilroy, president of the group Friends of Thacher Park, who first learned of the closings from a reporter.

"People have been planing weddings up there, class reunions, at the pavilions. You can kiss them goodbye. They're done," said Kilroy. "This is terrible."

A lobbyist for parks at the Capitol said a legislative solution seems remote.

"I am losing confidence that this can be resolved," said Robin Dropkin, director of Parks and Trails New York, a park advocacy group. "I was very hopeful until the last week or two, and now, I am quite pessimistic."

Dropkin said parks officials are beginning to transfer workers from parks and site slated to remain closed to other facilities that will be open.

Sites in the Capital Region set to close include Bennington Battlefield State Park and Hudson River Islands State Park, in Rensselaer County; Schuyler Mansion Historic Site in the city of Albany; Max V. Shaul State Park and Schoharie Crossing Historic Site, both in Schoharie County; and Johnson Hall Historic Site in Fulton County.

Paterson's parks plan also counts on $4 million in new park and historic site fees imposed last month, and $5 million redirected from the Environmental Protection Fund, which already faces a 35 percent cut under the governor's budget.

If lawmakers reject the use of EPF funds and no other revenue can be found, another 34 parks would be closed under the governor's plan.

Capital Region parks on that list include Grafton Lakes State Park, Cherry Plain State Park, and Fort Crailo State Historic Site, all in Rensselaer County; Minekill State Park in Schoharie County; and Peebles Island State Park in Saratoga County. Also, the Victoria Pool in Saratoga Spa State Park would be closed.

This week, state Sen. Jose Serrano, chairman of the Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation Committee offered a proposed law that would force the parks office to reopen all parks and pay for it using unspecified funds in budget extender bills already adopted by the Legislature. The bill is pending before the Senate Finance Committee; it has no sponsor in the Assembly.